Rope transfer means for drier rolls and the like



Aug. 30, 1955 A, A Y, JR 2,716,291

ROPE TRANSFER MEANS FOR DRIER ROLLS AND THE LIKE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 29, 195:5

INVENTOR JAMES A. DALY,.Tr.

ATTORNEY Aug. 30, 1955 DALY, JR 2,716,291

ROPE TRANSFER MEANS FOR DRIER ROLLS AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 29, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I5 I2 I III ,I ,3 I6 1 j v 1/ T5 JAMES A. DALY, J'r.

ATTORNEY IN VENTOR 30, 1955 J. A. DALY, JR

ROPE TRANSFER MEANS FOR DRIER ROLLS AND THE LIKE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 29, 1953 INVENTOR JAMES A. DALY, 3?.

BY Mrn %Mnr ATTORNEY United States Patent ROPE TRANSFER MEANS FOR DRIER ROLLS AND THE LIKE James A. Daly, Jr., Downingtown, Pa., assignor to Lukens Steel Company, Coatesville, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application October 29, 1953, Serial No. 388,950

Claims. (Cl. 34-420) The present invention relates to attachments for paper machinery and more particularly is directed to rope transfer means for the ropes carrying the tail of a web of paper in an entire paper drier section, the section generally consisting of a plurality of separate units, sets or sub-sections, each haing a plurality of drier rolls.

When a web of paper or the like is led from one set of drier rolls to another set, the tail of the paper often must be transferred from one set of rope feeders or carriers to another set, and it is this transfer with which the invention is primarily concerned. Such transfer is necessitated for several reasons, one or more of which may be applicable depending upon the circumstances; namely, due to the difference in speed of rotation of the rolls of one set or section and the drums or rolls of the succeeding set of the entire section; to simplify the entire drier section layout or configuration and the maintenance of the carrying ropes; and to permit the use of carrying ropes having a reasonable length and not of such a size that would be required if the same ropes were used throughout the entire drier section.

Prior transfer of the tail from one set of ropes to another has been accomplished manually, and such necessitates an operator to be on the alert to prevent excessive waste of the web. Due to the high speed nature of existing machines in present-day use, manual transfer has been substantially eliminated and, instead, a number of attempts have been made to provide automatic transfer, but to the best of my knowledge, such prior attempts require considerable separation or spacing of the last roll of the first drier set or section and the first roll of the second drier set or section to accommodate between said rolls the transfer pulleys required during transfer. In other words, prior art transfer means required special and predetermined spacing means of the drier rolls where the transfer of the web of paper to difierent carrying ropes occurred, and it is apparent that conservation of space in a mill is important. Furthermore, as one skilled in the art would readily understand, minimum spacing of the drier rolls is an essential factor and of value in that it permits maximum wrap of the web about the rolls. Also, transfer devices previously employed failed to maintain the tail of the paper or the like between carrying ropes during substantially the entire transfer operation, thereby permitting loss of the tail.

It is an object of this invention to provide an automatic rope transfer means for transferring a web of paper or the like from one drier roll to another drier roll which overcomes the above diificulties of the prior art devices.

It is another object of this invention to provide rope transfer means for transferring a web of paper from the last roll of one roll section to the first roll of a second section wherein the transfer takes place automatically and without separation or special spacing of the rolls to accommodate a rope transfer device.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a rope transfer arrangement having means whereby the tail of the web of paper passes from one set of rolls to another set without the intervention of an operator.

Another object is to provide a rope transfer device for automatically passing the tail of a web of paper from one set of rolls to another set, traveling at a difierent speed or at the same speed.

Yet another object is the use in a rope transfer arrangement of a separate set of ropes for the tail of a web of paper with each set of rolls of a drier section wherein one set of ropes rotates and carries the web at a different speed or same speed from that of another set utilized in a second drier section.

Still another object is to provide rope transfer means for ropes carrying a web of paper in a paper drier wherein the sets of ropes for each drier section are so correlated that the web is passed from one drier section to the other without danger of loss of the tail and excessive waste thereof and whereby the entire drier section layout and maintenance of the carrying rope is simplified.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be set forth in the following description of the preferred form of the invention which is illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification, and in which:

Figure l is a diagrammatic side elevation of two sections A and B of an entire drier section, to which this invention is applied;

Figure 2 is a top view of the entire drier section with this invention applied;

Figure 3 is a bottom view of the entire drier section with the invention applied;

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic showing the paths of the ropes in transferring a tail of a web of paper;

Figure 5 is a partial cross section along the line 5-5 of Figure 4 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 6 is a partial cross section along the line 66 of Figure 4, looking in the direction of the arrows.

The invention is illustrated and hereinafter described with particular reference to transfer of a web of paper among drier rolls in an entire paper drier section, but it is to be understood that the scope of the invention is not to be so limited as the transfer attachments may be utilized in connection with the transfer from one drum or roll to another of a web of other material.

Referring to the drawings in particular, as shown in Figure 1, the driers, with which this invention is used, comprises two sets of sections A and B. In section A, rolls 1, 2 and 3 are rotatably supported in the usual manner on a machine frame generally indicated at 4, and are rotated by conventional drive means, not shown, a detailed disclosure of the support and drive means not being deemed necessary, as such is familiar to one skilled in the art. In section B, rolls 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 are also rotatably supported on machine frame 4, and rotated by conventional drive means, not shown, at the same or at a speed different from that of the rolls of section A, the speed of the second section B in the event it is different usually being less than that of the first section, section A.

In the prior devices, as previously mentioned, considerable space is required for the transfer and the rolls 3 and 5, the last and first, respectively, of each section must be separated some distance to accommodate transfer pulley mechanism disposed between the rolls and thereby provide means other than manual means, for passing the leading end or tail T of a web of paper from the rope set of section A to the rope set of section B and to prevent the carrying ropes from becoming snarled and the like. By utilizing the present device as attachment means, the rope transfer is made above and below rolls 3 and 5 and, therefore, no special separation or spacing of the 3. rolls is necessary, but instead, a uniform spacing of the rolls throughout the entire drier section is possible.

The carrying ropes pass over grooved portions 1a, 2a, 3a, 541,611, 7a,, 8a, 9a and 10a at one end of rolls 1, 2, 3, 5,6, 7, 8, 9 and 10,. respectively; The grooved portions are shown integral with their respective rolls, but they may be free-wheeling or driven by separate means common in the art, it required. It is understood that the numerals designating the rolls refer only to the rolls illustrated. and are not indicative of the number or locationof rolls in each drier section, and further, it is also understood: that the drier rolls may be heated by conventional means, not shown.

Ropes 11 and 12, with the tail T gripped between them, as illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 4, pass about rolls.- 1. and 2 and partly about roll 3 with rope 11 positioned over the. tail and rope 12 therebeneath as shown inv Figure 5. Here. rope 11 leaves groove- 3a and passes to grooved pulley 15,. the pulley 15 being arranged with its axis oblique to the axis and end. plane of roll 3, and with its lower edge on aline substantially tangential to the roll 3 at its vertical diameter, as shown in Figure 4. Pulley 15 is preferably obliquely arranged outside the path of the ropes or at the outboard side of the grooved pulley or roll 3 as shown in Figure 2, so that rope 11 leaves roll 3 obliquely in order-not to interfere with the other ropes, and from pulley 15,. rope 11 passes to its point of origin over suitable pulleys, not shown.

At approximately the point where rope 11- leaves roll 3,. the rope 13 comes in under grooved pulley 16 preferably arranged in a plane substantially inline with groove 3a and with its loweredge on .a line'substantially tangential to the vertical diameter of roll 3-. From pulley 16,; rope 13- passes onto groove 3a so that tail T is now gripped between ropes 12 and 13, and in this condition,

the tail is carried partly around roll 3 and on to roll 5, the rope 12 being positioned, in efiect, over the tail and the rope 13- therebeneath as illustrated in Figure 6.

Rope. 12 leaves roll 5 by'means now to be described. Grooved pulley 17 is rotatably mounted on angled bracket 19 with its near edge. preferably slightly spaced from the end plane of roll 5 at the outboard side thereof, while grooved pulley 18 is arranged with its groove substantially parallel to groove 5a and substantially in line with the far edge of pulley 17, as seen in Figure 3-. Pulley 17 is preferably rotatable on an axis obliquev to the vertical, as shown, sothat the rope may clear pulley 18' and its mounting means and so that the plane of its groove is directed. substantially toward the lower end of the vertical diameter ofroll'S. Rope 12 leaves roll 5 in a vertical plane oblique to the end plane of roll 5 and substantially tangential to: its vertical diameter, as seen in' Figures-1 and 3., and passes about pulley 17 and to pulley 18. From pulley 18 the rope passes to its point of origin, over suitable; pulleys, which form nopart of this invention and, therefore, are neither shown nor described. The oblique egress angles of ropes 11 and- 12 are salient features. of the embodiment shown as otherwise. interference; of theropes and ripping: of the tail might result.

Rope 14 passes substantially tangentially on to roll 5, from pulleys 20 and 21, having traveled topulley 20 from its point of origin by way of suitable pulleys, not shown. Pulleys 20 and 21 arearranged allochirally with respect to pulleys 17 and 18, respectively, with the exceptionv that pulley 20' is arranged so that rope 14' passes on to 5a in a vertical'pl'ane in line with groove 5a and substantially tangential to the vertical diameter of the roll 5' and not in a vertical plane oblique to-the end plane of roll 5 as is the case in the travel of rope 12 and'inconnection with figures.

to be thereby limited' except within the scope of the endless and operate continuously, though their primary function ceases when a web has been completely threaded through the drier. By having separate rope carriers'for each section A and B, in addition to permitting simpler maintenance, the friction created by the ropes is much less than would be the case if no transfer of ropes took place throughout the entire drier section.

Itis clear that at transfer points t1 and t2, there is a theoretical unwrapped distance, namely an area or distance where the tail is not gripped by both rope carriers. This distance would have to be increased to exorbitant proportions before such would result in slippage of and/ or losing the tail, and for all practical purposes, due to the fact that it' may be kept at a minimum by regulating the position of the pulleys, it is substantially negligible.

For purposes of terminology for use in the claims, pulley 16 will be known as a first lead-on pulley, and pulley 1:5 will be: known: asafirst takeoff pulley, Pulleys 2t)- and- 21 will be known as; the second lead-on pulley means, andi pulleys 17' and 1% will be known as the second take-off pulley means;

The above? description and drawings disclose a: single and preferred: embodiment of the invention, andi'specifi'c language has been employed in describing. the several Howevegthex invention is. not'to be considered appended. claims. For example, a single pulley mounted with its groove. arranged in a plane in line with groove 5a so that incoming rope: 14 would. run substantially tangentially therefrom with respect to the verticaldiameter of roll: 5, could be substituted for the pair 20 and{21, and in. such a case',-a different supply means to the pulley of rope 14 would be provided. Similarly, a single pulley could. be employed in. place of the pair 17' and 18, but such a. substituted pulley would have to be positioned so. that its-groove. was in aplane which would be oblique with: respect to the plane of groove 5aand also permit substantial tangential movement of rope 12 as it travels from groove 5:: over the substituted pulley toits return in. the closedcircuit. As to the closed circuit paths of each of the ropes 1 1, 12, 13 and 14, this may be varied" as may the position, mounting and number of pulleys required to accomplish same. Actually the only essential limitation regarding the scope of the invention inconnection with the various: pulleysfor the rope carriers is that the pulleysmust' be so positioned that the incoming: ropes 1-3 and' 14 travel substantially tangential to-the vertical diameter of the'rolls 3 and- 5' onto grooves 3a and- 5a respectively, and in a plane substantially in" line Withthe plane of" grooves 311- and 5a, and return ropes 11 and 12 travel substantially, tangentially with respect to the vertical diameter of rolls 3- and 5 from grooves 3a and 5a respectively, aswell as obliquely thereto by being in a' plane oblique to the end planes of rolls 3 and 5 1 on the outboard or inboard side thereof or vice versawithrespecttoreturn ropesl'l and 12 and incomin'g'ropes 1-3 and 14. Stated broadly, it is' only necessary that the pulleys be arranged to" change the normal direction of travel over the grooves of the drums 3 and 5 of either rope 11' or 13 or rope 12 or 14, the only limitations or.

factors that must be considered being interference of the ropes with each other, interference of or damage to the tail and; asto the travel of all ropes being substantially tangential to the vertical diameter of rolls 3 and 5,-this is'only a limitation to the extentthat it avoids the likelihood of losing the tail'at t1 and I2.

By way of interest, it should be stated that usually the grooves of' grooved portions 311, 5a, etc., are of'such a size and depth that it is preferred practice to have the incoming ropes 1'3- and 14' travel in a vertical plane sub-' stantially in line with the vertical plane of the grooves. However, if the grooves are of a large radial depth, the incoming ropes could satisfactorily travel onto the grooves in a path that is in' a plane slightly oblique tothe plane of the grooves; but even with such construction of the grooves, which could be damaging to both. the ropes and the tail, it is preferred to have the incoming ropes travel in a path in a vertical plane substantially in line with the plane of the grooves. As to the take-off ropes 11 and 12, if the incoming ropes are slightly oblique, they could be arranged to travel from the grooves 3a and 5a in a path that is in a vertical plane substantially in line with the plane of the grooves or at any angle thereto providing interference of the incoming and take-off ropes is prevented. Also, it is to be noted, there will be some obliqueness with respect to the traveling plane of the lead-in or take-ofi ropes no matter if they are permitted, due to non-confiiction of the ropes, to travel in the same vertical plane, and this is due to all of the ropes having dimensions.

It should also be noted that by the use of the present apparatus, the tail T is gripped by two ropes throughout the transfer operation; that is, from points 21 to 12 and the importance of this gripping feature is believed to be readily apparent.

I claim:

1. Rope transfer means for transferring the tail of a web of paper or the like from one pair of tail-engaging ropes to a second pair, the web being adapted to travel over a first roll of the paper drier type to and over a second similar roll and each of said rolls having at one of their ends grooved pulleys substantially in line in a vertical plane comprising lead-on pulley means associated with each roll such that the ropes constituting the second pair each travel onto one of said grooved pulleys from one of the lead-on pulley means in a path that is in a vertical plane substantially in line with the vertical plane of said grooved pulleys and take-01f pulley means associated with each roll such that the ropes constituting the first pair each travel from one of the grooved pulleys to one of the take-off pulley means in a path that is in a vertical plane which is oblique to the plane of the grooved pulleys on said rolls.

2. Rope transfer means as defined in claim 1 wherein the lead-on and take-0E pulley means associated with one roll is positioned adjacent but substantially above said roll and the lead-on and take-01f pulley means associated with the other roll is positioned adjacent but substantially therebeneath.

3. Rope transfer means as defined in claim 2 wherein each of the lead-on and take-off pulley means positioned beneath the other roll consists of two grooved pulleys and each of the lead-on and take-off pulley means positioned above the one roll consists of a single grooved pulley.

4. Rope transfer means as defined in claim 1 wherein the ropes travel from and onto said pulley means onto and from the grooved pulleys substantially tangentially to the vertical diameter of the rolls.

5. In a rope transfer for a paper drier and the like in which there is a plurality of separately driven sets of drier rolls, grooved pulleys at one end of each of said rolls, a pair of tail-engaging ropes traveling in the grooves of each set of rolls, means for transferring the tail of a web of paper or the like from one pair of ropes to another pair comprising take-otf and lead-on pulley means associated with the last roll of a first set and take-off and lead-on pulley means associated with the first roll of a second set, the ropes of said second pair each being arranged to travel onto one of said grooved pulleys from one of the lead-on pulley means and the ropes of said first pair each being arranged to travel from one of the grooved pulleys to one of the take-off pulley means, one of the pulley means of each set acting to change the normal direction of travel of the rope passing thereover.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein the normal direction of travel of the ropes is in a vertical plane substantially in line with the plane of the grooved pulleys at one end of said rolls and the changed direction of 6 travel of the ropes being in a vertical plane oblique to the grooved pulleys plane.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein the pulley means associated with the last roll of the first set is positioned substantially thereabove and the pulley means associated with the first roll of the second set is positioned substantially therebeneath, said ropes traveling from and onto said pulley means onto and from the grooved pulleys substantially tangentially to the vertical diameter of the rolls.

8. Rope transfer means for transferring the tail of a web of paper or the like from one pair of tail-engaging ropes to a second pair, the web being adapted to travel over a first roll of the paper drier type to and over a second similar roll and each of said rolls having at one of their ends grooved pulleys substantially in line in a vertical plane comprising take-off and lead-on pulley means associated with the first roll and take-01f and leadon pulley means associated with the second roll, the ropes of said second pair each being arranged to travel onto one of said grooved pulleys from one of the lead-on pulley means and the ropes of said first pair each being arranged to travel from one of the grooved pulleys to one of the take-off pulley means, one of the pulley means of each set acting to change the normal direction of travel of the rope passing thereover.

9. In a rope transfer system for a paper drier in which there is a plurality of separately driven sets of drier rolls, grooved pulleys at one end of said drier rolls, a pair of tail-engaging ropes traveling in the grooves of said pulleys, one pair for each set of rolls, means for transferring the tail of a paper web from one pair of ropes to another pair comprising a first take-off pulley for one of the first pair of ropes, a first lead-on pulley for one of the second pair of ropes, second take-off pulley means for the other of the first pair of ropes, second lead-on pulley means for the other of the second pair of ropes, said first pulleys being associated with a roll of one set of drier rolls and said second pulley means being associated with a roll of another set, said first lead-on pulley and said second lead-on pulley means being positioned in a vertical plane substantially in line with the grooved pulleys at the end of their associated roll and said take-off pulley and pulley means being positioned such that the path of travel of the ropes from the associated rolls to the take-off pulley and take-off pulley means is in a vertical plane oblique to the end plane of the associated roll.

10. In a rope carrier system for a paper drier in which there is a plurality of separately driven sets of drier rolls,

, grooved pulleys at one end of said drier rolls, a pair of tail engaging ropes traveling in the grooves of said pulleys, one pair for each set of rolls, means for transferring the tail of a paper web from one pair of ropes to another pair comprising a first take-ofi pulley for one of a first pair of ropes, a first lead-on pulley for one of a second pair of ropes; a second take-off pulley for the other of the first pair of ropes, a second lead-on pulley for the other of the second pair of ropes; the rope leading over said second take-off pulley changing direction thereon and passing to a third take-off pulley and the rope entering over the second lead-on pulley proceeding from the third lead-on pulley changing direction on said second lead-on pulley and passing to the drier roll, said second take-oft" pulleys being positioned with respect to the rolls to alter the normal path of travel of the ropes over said rolls.

11. The method of transferring the tail of a web of paper or the like from one pair of tail-engaging ropes to a second pair, the web being adapted to travel over a first roll of the paper drier type to and over a second similar roll and each of said rolls having at one of their ends grooved pulleys substantially in line in a vertical plane and in which the ropes normally travel comprising the steps of passing a rope of the second pair in a normal path of travel onto the pulley of the first roll and substantially' simultaneously removing' a rope of the first pair from the pulley of the first roll in a path changed of the second roll and substantially simultaneously removing a rope of the first pair from the pulley of the secondroll' in a path changed from the normal path.

l2. The method of transferring the tail of a web of paper or the like from one pair of tail-engaging ropes to a second pair, the web being adapted to travel over a first roll of the paper drier type to and over a second similar roll with one pair or the other pair carrying the tail in a normal path over said rolls, each of said rolls having pulley means associated therewith in which the ropes normally travel; comprising the steps of passing a rope ofthe second pair in a normal path of travel onto the pulley means of the first roll and substantially simultaneously removing a rope of the first pair from the pulley means of the firstroll in a path changed from thenormal; path and the step' of passing a rope of the second pair in a normal path of travel onto the pulley means of the second rolland substantially simultaneously removing a rope of the first pair from the pulley means oi the second roll in a path changed from the normal path.

13. Means for transferring the tail of a web of paper orthe like from one pair of tail-engaging ropes. to a second pair, the web beingadapted to travel over a first roll of the paper-drier type to and over a second similar roll and each of said rolls having adjacent one of their ends agrooved pulley substantially in line in a vertical 7 plane and inwhich the ropes normally travel comprising means for passing a rope of the second pair in a normal or the like from one pair of tail-engaging ropes to a second pair, the web being adapted to travel over a first roll of the paper drier type to and over a secondrsirnilar roll with one pairor the other pair carrying the tail in a normal path over said rolls comprising means for passing a rope of the second pair in a normalpath' of travel onto the first roll and substantially simultaneously removing,

a rope of the first pair from the first roll in a path changed from the normal path, and means for passing a rope of the second pair in a normal path of travel onto the second roll and substantially simultaneously removing a rope of the first pair from the second roll in a path changed from the normal path, both of said last-named means being positioned such that the tail is gripped by a pair of ropes throughoutthe transfer operation.

15. Means for transferring the tail of a web of paper or the like from one pair of tail-engaging ropes to a second pair, the web being adapted to, travel over a first roll of the paperdrier type to and over a second similar roll and each of said rolls having adjacent one of their ends a grooved pulley substantially in line in a vertical' plane and in which the ropes normally travel comprising means for passing a first rope of one of the pairs onto the pulley of the first roll and substantially simultaneously removing a first rope of the other pair from the pulley of the first roll, the path of: travel of one of said first ropes during said last-named means being altered with respect to the normal path, and means for passing a second'rope of one of the pairs onto the pulley of the second roll'and substantially simultaneously removing a second rope of one of the pairs fromthe pulley of the second roll, the path of one of said second ropes during said last-named means being altered-from a normal path, and both of said last-named means being positioned such that the tail is gripped by two ropes throughout the transfer operation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

